The Memo

Advances in medical technology are improving lives of Northeast Mississippi residents. On today’s episode, we explore a few examples.

Zack Orsborn (10:58) joins Derek and Brad to talk about some new methods being used at North Mississippi Medical Center. Zack recently spoke with officials at NMMC’s Sleep Disorder Center and the NMMC Heart and Vascular Institute about new technologies.

The sleep center has been using more in-home sleep tests, which help it reach patients who have difficulty with lab tests. The heart institute recently switched to cryoablation, a new technique for treating patients with an irregular rhythm in the upper chest. It cuts back on both patient stay time and the cost of hospital bills.

Meanwhile, Michaela Morris (19:36) joins the show to talk about a paraplegic woman who is learning to walk again using a robotic exoskeleton.

Carla Belue of Red Bay, Alabama, has relied on a wheelchair for 24 years. Recently she was able to acquire the ReWalk robotically assisted walking system. She comes to NMMC’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center three times a week to learn how to use the device with the hopes to eventually use it at home. Belue is the first person in Mississippi to use the system, which is trigged by shifts in her center of gravity to take steps.

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the attack on the Pearl Harbor U.S. Naval base in Hawaii.

The so-called day that will live in infamy launched the United States into the Second World War. Daily Journal reporter Zack Orsborn (12:01) recently spoke with Northeast Mississippi veterans about their recollections of that day. He joins Derek and Brad on today’s show to share their stories and tell how the experience inspired the men to join the service.

Also, Daily Journal law enforcement reporter William Moore (17:28) talks about the end of burn bans across Northeast Mississippi. Governor Phil Bryant lifted the state-level burn ban last week, and many counties followed suit and lifted their individual bans this week. However, officials with the Mississippi Forestry Commission still urge caution when participating in outdoor burning.

Meanwhile, food editor Ginna Parsons (26:47) has the highlights of this week’s food section. That includes a creamy wild rice and mushroom soup she recently made.

Mississippi introduced a new statewide organization on Tuesday designed to help communities improve the reading abilities of their citizens.

The state joins the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading program, joining more than 40 states and almost 300 communities across the nation. The program is designed to place a greater emphasis on the literacy of low-income students by pulling together existing resources in local communities.

Education reporter Emma Kent (10:18) joins Derek and Brad on today’s show to provide more information about the new initiative, how it will look and the impact it can have.

Oxford/ Lafayette County is one of two Mississippi locations already participating in the program and will serve as a model for others. With Tuesday’s announcement, the goal is to get at least 10 Mississippi communities into the program. Tupelo, New Albany and Corinth are among those cited as strong possibilities.

Emma (16:03) also talks about Shannon High School, which has made great gains in its graduation rate and improved its school ranking from a D to a C. Officials credit hard work, a culture shift, a focus on helping freshmen and increased training, among other factors.

Caleb Bedillion (20:13) discusses Tuesday’s unanimous vote by the Tupelo City Council to fly Mississippi’s bicentennial banner — and not the state flag — at the new police headquarters for the next year.

Volunteers have been busy preparing for the Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving Day luncheon. The event will be held on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. and is free and open to anyone in need. It is expected to feed about 3,000 people, and more volunteers are needed to help on Thursday.

Daily Journal food editor Ginna Parsons (14:48) joins Brad and guest co-host Emma Kent on today’s episode to talk about the luncheon, efforts to prepare for it and how you can volunteer.

Also, Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (23:15) talks about efforts by state leaders to advocate for a tax on internet transactions. Both Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood and Republican Governor Phil Bryant — who disagree on most issues — are calling for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of Colorado’s attempt to collect such a tax.

Bobby discusses why state leaders want the tax and what options are available if the Supreme Court does not side with them.

Bobby (27:58) also looks at U.S. Senator Roger Wicker’s role as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the work he did to help Republicans maintain a majority in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Daily Journal photographer Lauren Wood (32:26) talks about her recent experience photographing a New Albany couple that raises llamas. That photo essay can also be found in today’s paper.

Reminder: Due to the Thanksgiving holidays, today’s show is the only episode that will be released this week. We will resume our normal schedule next Monday, Nov. 28.

The Mississippi Department of Education released achievement gap data last week. It looks at the percentage of students in different subgroups (by race, income, gender, etc.) who scored proficient on state tests and the gaps between those groups.

Three of the widest achievement gaps in the state are in Northeast Mississippi – Oxford, Tupelo and Booneville. Leaders in those districts said they are working to close their gaps. They also said the data is somewhat misleading because it fails to show that a lot of their students are close to proficient, even if they haven’t reached that mark. That makes the gap look larger than it actually is, they said.

Daily Journal education reporter Emma Kent (6:47) joins Derek and Brad on today’s show to explain the achievement gap data, why it’s important and how districts are planning to address it.

Also on today’s show, Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (14:44) talks about Gov. Phil Bryant’s state budget proposal that was released on Tuesday. It places a priority on restoring state reserves and gives about $16 million in additional funding to public school districts. The proposal also includes big cuts to the state education department and to public radio and television. Bobby talks about how much weight Bryant’s proposal will carry as lawmakers begin the work of crafting next year’s budget.

Photographer Adam Robison (25:22) stops by to discuss his photo essay on a local bicycle mechanic.

Election Night 2016 dragged into the early hours of Wednesday morning, and today we discuss what happened.

Perhaps the most significant story for Mississippi is that the election of Donald Trump as the country’s next president could set several political dominoes in motion in the Magnolia State. Gov. Phil Bryant has been rumored to be a possible pick on Trump’s cabinet. If that happens, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves would move into the governor’s mansion and the dynamics of upcoming statewide elections would be dramatically different.

Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (11:06) discusses what may happen to Mississippi’s governor. That discussion is part of an election night roundtable that also included William Moore, Brad Locke and Chris Kieffer. The group also talks about the national presidential election, as well as the contests for Mississippi’s First Congressional District and a spot on the state Supreme Court.

Also on today’s show, local government reporter Caleb Bedillion (24:25) joins Derek and Chris to talk about Mississippi cities that have opted to stop flying the state flag. Caleb recently spoke with leaders of those cities and shares what he learned.

Caleb also talks more about Trent Kelly’s re-election to represent Mississippi’s First Congressional District and about Kelly’s now firm grip on that seat.

The severe drought in Northeast Mississippi is causing serious problems for many homes. Much of the area sits on clay soil, which shrinks in dry weather. That can cause foundations to shift and houses to crack.

In Tupelo, the greatest risk is on the west side of town, and the threat is even greater if you have a lot of trees and bushes planted near your home. So what can you do to protect your house?

Daily Journal home and garden editor Ginna Parsons (6:58) joins Derek and Brad on today’s podcast to discuss the problem and how big of a hazard it poses. She also has advice from experts on preventative steps you can take.

Also on today’s episode, education reporter Emma Kent (13:22) looks at efforts by area school districts to improve attendance. School attendance is important throughout the year, but it is particularly important in October and November. The state uses attendance figures during those two months to determine how much funding various districts receive.

Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (23:09) talks about what state lawmakers may do on taxes. Both House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves want to move the state toward taxing consumption and away from taxing income. The question is how far they will go during the upcoming Legislative session that begins in January.

Today, we’ve got updates on several issues related to the shooting death of Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert by a Tupelo Police officer.

On Tuesday, a U.S. judge ruled Shumpert’s wrongful death suit against Tupelo officials can move forward despite a pending review by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Local government reporter Caleb Bedillion (7:50) joins Derek and Brad on today’s episode to give the latest details on that lawsuit and the judge’s ruling.

Caleb also has an update (11:51) on Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton’s efforts to improve city engagement in the wake of protests that followed Shumpert’s death. Shelton formed six committees to tackle various issues. On Monday, however, a local activist group said it was not satisfied with those efforts.

Meanwhile, law enforcement reporter William Moore (19:14) will talk about the death of a K9 officer who was involved in the Shumpert incident. Alec went missing on Sunday and was later found dead after being struck by a car.

William (16:21) also discusses another delay for the Tupelo Police Department’s new headquarters. On Tuesday, the building received water damage from a sprinkler system during a test. Its opening is already behind schedule and will now be pushed back even later.

Also on today’s episode, photographer Adam Robison (27:16) talks about his recent photo essay about a local a farrier and about what he learned on the process of making horse shoes.

Tupelo city leaders are in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this week to get ideas for possible ways civilian oversight of police could be implemented in Tupelo. A delegation is attending the conference for the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement, where it will learn from experiences of other cities.

On today’s episode, Daily Journal local government reporter Caleb Bedillion (6:31) joins Brad and guest co-host Lauren Wood to discuss what Tupelo’s delegation may learn at the conference. Caleb notes that the push to create a police advisory or review board in Tupelo is not new, but that it has gained momentum in the wake of the shooting death of Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert.

Also on today’s show, Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (13:25) breaks down an effort by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann to make it easier to track campaign contributions and expenditures of Mississippi politicians. Hosemann unveiled a new searchable campaign finance website on Tuesday and also is advocating for more election reforms.

The annual event that exposes eighth-grade students to various careers will be held Oct. 4 to 6 at the BancorpSouth Arena. This year, more than 7,000 eighth-grade students from 17 Northeast Mississippi counties will visit exhibits from 19 career pathways and 135 companies.

CREATE Foundation Communications Director Albine Bennett (9:31) joins Derek and Brad to talk about the impact of the event, changes this year and the need for volunteers.

Also on today’s show, Daily Journal reporter Zack Orsborn (27:35) discusses a story he recently wrote about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, its impact on veterans and its connections with suicides. Zack talked to a family of veterans that have all suffered with PTSD and looks at what resources are available to help veterans in the region cope with the disorder.

Photographer Lauren Wood (37:54) talks about her photo essay on My Brother’s Cup coffee company and about the special mission that drives the Tupelo business.